Smart Gilas battles Taiwan

Games Sunday (Hsinchuang Gymnasium, Taipei County) 3 p.m. - CT Univ. All-Star vs Lebanon 5 p.m. - Iran vs Australia 7 p.m. - Chinese Taipei vs Smart-Gilas TAIPEI

Even against a team that is lacking in height, Smart-Gilas Serbian mentor Rajko Toroman expects a tough game against host Chinese Taipei in the 32nd William R. Jones Cup Sunday at the Hsinchuang Gymnasium in Taipei County. Currently with a 2-1 win-loss card, Smart-Gilas meets Chinese Taipei in the main game at 7 p.m. right after unbeaten teams Lebanon and defending champion Iran take on separate winless opponents, the All-Star team of Chinese Taipei University at 3 p.m. and the Australian Crocs at 5 p.m. The Nationals are coming in fresh after taking a day-off, following a 90-64 victory against the Crocs (90-64) last Friday. The national team will face a Chinese Taipei squad that easily won its first two matches, against Australia (103-55) and the All-Star team of Chinese Taipei University (74-64), before losing to Lebanon (93-84) also last Friday. Chinese Taipei (2-1) is playing Japan (1-2) at presstime. With 7-footer Greg Slaughter and 6-foot-10 American import Marcus Douthit, Smart-Gilas hopes to make good use of its height advantage against a team that is lacking in ceiling as Chinese Taipei's tallest player is only 6-foot-7 Chen Tzu-Wei. However, this team, according to Toroman, has the quickness to challenge Smart-Gilas' own running game. -Waylon Galvez